Career Timeline of Aaron Judge: Major Achievements and Milestones

Discover the career path of Aaron Judge, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Aaron Judge is a celebrated American professional baseball outfielder for the New York Yankees. A seven-time MLB All-Star and two-time AL MVP, he holds the American League record for most home runs in a single season with 62. His towering stature and powerful hitting ability have solidified his position as one of the premier power hitters and right-handed batters in MLB history.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

2010: Oakland Athletics Draft

In 2010, Aaron Judge was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 31st round of the MLB draft but chose to attend California State University, Fresno instead.

2011: Fresno State Success

In 2011, Fresno State shared the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) regular-season title, won the WAC Tournament, and qualified for the NCAA Division I baseball tournament, with Judge being named a Freshman All-American by Louisville Slugger.

2013: Signed with the Yankees

In 2013, Aaron Judge signed with the New York Yankees after being drafted in the first round, receiving a $1.8 million signing bonus, but he missed the season due to a quadriceps injury.

2014: Endorsement of Under Armour Gear

From 2014, Aaron Judge endorsed Under Armour gear until 2018.

2014: Professional Debut

In 2014, Aaron Judge made his professional debut with the Charleston RiverDogs and was later promoted to the Tampa Yankees, achieving high batting averages and on-base percentages in both leagues.

2015: Spring Training and All-Star Futures Game Selection

In 2015, Aaron Judge was invited to spring training by the Yankees and played for the Trenton Thunder before being promoted to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. He was also chosen to play in the 2015 All-Star Futures Game.

2015: Statcast Adoption

In 2015, Statcast was adopted and began measuring exit velocities of home runs, providing data for records later set and broken by Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.

August 13, 2016: MLB Debut with Home Run

On August 13, 2016, Aaron Judge made his MLB debut for the Yankees, hitting a home run in his first at-bat against the Tampa Bay Rays, following teammate Tyler Austin who also homered in his debut.

2016: Batting Average in 2016

In 2016, Aaron Judge had a batting average of .179 with the Yankees, which he later used as motivation for improvement.

2016: MLB Debut

In 2016, Aaron Judge made his Major League Baseball debut for the New York Yankees.

2016: International League All-Star Team

In 2016, Aaron Judge was named to the International League All-Star Team while playing for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, though he missed the All-Star Game due to a knee sprain.

May 15, 2017: Sports Illustrated Cover and Tonight Show Appearance

On May 15, 2017, Aaron Judge appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the title "All Rise" and also appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, posing undercover in Bryant Park to interact with Yankee fans.

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November 6, 2017: Cover Athlete for MLB The Show 18

On November 6, 2017, Aaron Judge was announced as the cover athlete for MLB The Show 18.

2017: Endorsement Deal with Pepsi

Following his 2017 rookie season, Aaron Judge signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Pepsi.

2017: Motivation from Past Performance

In 2017, Aaron Judge used his 2016 batting average of .179 as motivation, keeping a note of it on his phone and looking at it daily.

2017: Record-Breaking Home Run and Player of the Month Honors

In June 2017, Aaron Judge set a Statcast record with a 121.1 mph home run, hit a 495-foot home run, was named AL Player of the Week, and then AL Player of the Month, also earning his third consecutive AL Rookie of the Month award.

2018: Endorsement Deal with Adidas

In the 2018 season, Aaron Judge signed an endorsement deal with Adidas, after endorsing Under Armour gear from 2014 until the 2018 season.

2019: Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award

In 2019, Aaron Judge earned the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award for his position as a right fielder, leading the league in defensive runs saved despite playing fewer innings than Cody Bellinger.

2019: Home Run Over Green Monster

On September 8, 2019, Aaron Judge hit a home run over Fenway Park's Green Monster, setting a new franchise record for team home runs in a season for the Yankees.

2020: Home Run Streak and Injuries

In the shortened 2020 season, Aaron Judge began with a five-game home run streak and was later placed on the injured list twice due to a right calf strain, impacting his performance and games played.

December 2022: Free Agency Negotiations

In early December 2022, Aaron Judge was in free agency and was pursued by the San Diego Padres, the San Francisco Giants, and the Yankees. The Padres offered Judge over $400 million, while the Yankees initially offered $320 million over eight years.

December 20, 2022: Signing with the Yankees and Named Captain

On December 20, 2022, Aaron Judge signed a nine-year, $360 million deal with the Yankees, breaking the record for the largest free agent deal in MLB history. He was also named the 16th captain of the Yankees, the first since Derek Jeter's retirement.

2022: Re-signed with the Yankees and Named Captain

Following the 2022 season, Aaron Judge re-signed with the Yankees on a nine-year, $360-million contract and was named the team's captain.

2022: Appearance on Logic's Album

In 2022, Aaron Judge appeared on a 23-second skit on rapper Logic's album Vinyl Days named after himself.

2022: AL MVP and Home Run Record

In 2022, Aaron Judge won his first MVP award and set the AL single-season home run record, breaking Roger Maris's 61-year-old record.

2022: Expiration of Adidas Deal

In 2022, Aaron Judge's endorsement deal with Adidas expired.

August 2023: Shoe Deal with Jordan Brand

In August 2023, Aaron Judge signed a shoe deal with Nike's Jordan Brand, becoming the fifth active MLB player to do so.

January 2024: "All-Star Evening" Gala

In January 2024, Aaron Judge's ALL RISE Foundation hosted an "All-Star Evening" gala on Wall Street, raising nearly $800,000 for youth programs in New York City.

March 2024: Ralph Lauren Fragrance Deal

In March 2024, Aaron Judge was named the face of Ralph Lauren's new fragrance, "Polo Est. 67 Eau de Toilette," and its "Design Your Dreams" ad campaign.

April 2024: Endorsement Deal with Prime

In April 2024, Aaron Judge agreed to endorse the energy drink Prime.

2024: Second MVP Award

In 2024, Aaron Judge won his second MVP award by unanimous vote, leading MLB in home runs and OPS and becoming the fastest MLB player to reach 300 career home runs. That postseason, the Yankees won their first AL pennant in 15 years but lost in the World Series.

April 14, 2025: Named Captain of Team USA

On April 14, 2025, Aaron Judge was announced as the captain of Team USA for the 2026 World Baseball Classic by manager Mark DeRosa on MLB Network.

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2025: Successful 2025 Season

In 2025, Aaron Judge finished the regular season with a .331 batting average, leading the major leagues and winning his first career batting title. He recorded 53 home runs, 179 hits, and 114 RBI, with 36 intentional walks, breaking the American League single-season record. He was named the AL Player of the Month for September and secured AL Player of the Week honors on September 29.